Adjustable shoe upper



M. GILBERT ADJUSTABLE SHOE UPPER Dec. 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17. 1955 N R EB 0 W n G A x WNW d 3 T ,7 1 m A.

2 R E W 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1955 INVENTOR Max 61455127- ATTORNEY United States Patent ADJUSTABLE SHOE UPPER Max Gilbert, Bronx, N. Y. Application August 17, 1955, Serial No. 529,048

1 Claim. c1. 36-585) This invention is an adjustable shoe upper intended primarily for use in ladies shoes of all kinds and is directed, more particularly, to improved means whereby the upper edge of either or both the vamp or heel portion of the shoe may be made adjustable, so as to conform to the foot of the wearer in such manner as to permit the shoe to be worn comfortably.

In my Patent No. 2,193,355, issued March 12, 1940, I disclosed a shoe wherein the edge of the upper was made adjustable for the purpose stated. However, the various adjusting means employed in that patent were visible, either internally or externally of the shoes, and in some instances tended to rub or chafe the foot of the wearer. Other expedients which have since been suggested have been open to the same objection for it has been generally thought necessary when adjustment was required to have some portion of the adjustable elements extend into exposed position so that they could be readily manipulated.

One object of the present invention is to provide for simple, compact and highly efiicient means for adjusting the upper edge of a shoe, which means shall be entirely concealed between the outer wall of the upper and the lining at all times except when adjustment is desired.

Speaking generally, the invention consists in incorporating between the outer wall of the upper and the liner thereof an elastic tape which is threaded in and out of alternate spaced apart holes in a guide strip sewed permanently within the lining and serving as a guide and positioning member for the elastic tape. One end of this elastic tape is preferably permanently anchored to the guide strip, while the other end of the elastic tape is provided with a locking plate provided with ofiset openings through which the free end portion of the elastic tape is passed. This locking plate is normally concealed between the outer wall and lining of the shoe but may be withdrawn through an inconspicuous slot or opening in the lining to permit the adjustment of the tension on the elastic tape. When the desired adjustment has been made, the locking plate and the corresponding end of the tape are adapted to be tucked through said opening in the lining, so as to again occupy a concealed position until the next adjustment, if any, is desired.

An outstanding feature of this invention is that it makes possible thoroughly satisfactory, manual adjustment of an elastic tape by means which is entirely concealed from both the interior and exterior of the shoe and, so far as I am aware, no such desideratum has heretofore been achieved.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and appended claim, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

'1 he accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a shoe, both the heel portion and vamp thereof being provided with adjusting means embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view showing the outside wall of the shoe upper folded up, so as to show the adjusting means which is attached to the lining of the shoe.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the curved line 3-3 of Fig. 2 or the straight line 33 of Fig. 5 with the outer wall of the shoe folded down into its normal position and with the several parts slightly spaced apart to more clearly show the construction.

Fig. 4 is a face view of a locking member illustrated in the other figures of the drawings.

Fig. 5 is a view of the adjusting means as viewed from the interior of the shoe where all parts except the slot in the lining are concealed and are accordingly shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but shows how one end of the elastic tape can be fished outwardly through the slot in the lining, as a preliminary step in making an adjustment of the tension of the tape.

Fig. 7 shows the adjusting end of the tape withdrawn through the slot in the lining to render said tape accessible for adjustment.

Fig. 8 shows the adjustment in the process of being made.

Fig. 9 shows the locking plate and the free end of the elastic tape tucked back into place beneath the lining so that the adjustable means is again concealed from View and the shoe is ready for wear.

In Fig. 1 a shoe is shown which may be of any desirable shape or style. In this shoe both the vamp and heel portions are provided with the adjusting means shown in dotted lines and designated generally in this figure by the reference character 1. Ordinarily provision for adjustment at either the back or vamp is suflicient.

In Fig. 2, the reference character 2 designates the lining and 3 the exterior wall of the upper. This view may be taken at the back of the shoe or at the vamp. We will assume that it is at the vamp.

Sewed to the interior surface of the lining by lines of stitching 4 is an elongated strip of material 5 which is provided with spaced apart perforations 6. This strip, which may be referred to as the guide strip, may be of fabric, leather, plastic, or any other suitable material having sufiicient body to hold its shape and sufficiently strong to perform its functions. A strip of sheet nylon or fiber has been found convenient for this purpose, although strong fabrics may be used if desired. An elastic tape 7 is threaded back and forth through alternate holes 6 in the strip 5 with one end of the tape anchored by stitching 8 at one end of the strip 5 and the other end of the tape threaded through holes in the locking plate This locking plate is of a size to permit it to be passed through an access slot 10 formed in the lining adjacent one end of the strip 5.

The locking plate which I prefer to employ is shown in Fig. 4. It is an elongated plate of sheet material provided with spaced apart openings 11 and 12 and with the opening 12 spaced a short distance from the corresponding end of the plate. It is to be noted from Fig. 4 that the openings 11 and 12 are respectively placed adjacent the opposite longitudinal edges of the plate. In other words, they are laterally staggered with respect to one another so that, when the elastic tape is passed through these openings in succession and drawn tightly across the space between them, the tape will be locked against slipping relative to the plate and the adjustment of the tape is thereby maintained.

When the finished shoe is in adjustment, the parts appear as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. From these views it will be noted that the tape is positioned wholly between the lining 2 and the outer wall 3 of the upper with the duced through the slot '10 and the free end of the elastic tape may be fished out through the slot, as shown in Fig. 6. As soon as a loop has been formed, as illustrated in this figure, it may be grasped and pulled to withdraw the plate through the slot 1 0, as shown in Fig. 7.

After being thus withdrawn the plate may be shifted longitudinally of the tape 7, as shown in Fig. 8, and after the desired adjustment has been made to move the plate in one direction "or the other of the tape, according to the increase or decrease in tension desired, the tape may be drawn tightly across the two holes 11 and 12 in the plate and the plate then permitted to re-enter the slot 10 and reengage with the margin of the hole 6a in the strip 5. The free end of the tape may then either be cut off or tucked through the slot 10 into the space between the lining and the outer wall 3 and the shoe may then be worn with all the adjusting means of this invention concealed from view.

In some cases it may be desirable to provide a locking plate 9 and a slot 10 at each end of the tape in lieu of the stitching 8, shown in Fig. 2, but this is mere duplication and ordinarily is not desired.

An outstanding advantage of this invention over all prior structures is that it provides for adqjustment at the will of the wearer and at the same time provides for complete concealment of all the means whereby this adjustment is accomplished. The adjusting means lies flat and is in no sense bulky. Its presence in a shoe when worn is not discernible.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms, but the invention 4 is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An adjustable shoe upper having an outer upper and an inner lining, an elongated guide strip secured in fixed position throughout its length to the inner lining inside of the outer upper and contiguous 'to the upper edge of said lining, said guide strip having therein longitudinally spaced openings, an elastic tape of substantially the same width as the height 'of-said openings threaded in and out of successive openings in said guide strip with one end of the tape permanently secured in position adjacent one end of said guide strip, and a thin, substantially flat, regular-surfacedlocking member of substantially the same height as said openings longitudinally adjustable on the other end of the tape and adapted to extend over a margin of the openings in the guide strip with the said margin positioned between said locking member and said tape to secure the latter end of the tape to the guide strip, the inner lining being provided with an opening adjacent said other "end 'of said guide strip to permit access to the locking member for longitudinal adjustment thereof along the tape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 319,030 Ross June 2, 1885 549,666 Appelbaum Nov. 12, 1895 1 ,401,790 Kernohan Dec. 27, 1921 1,516,465 Dennison et al Nov. 18, 1924 2,556,807 Goldman June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,026 Australia June 29, 1932 134,594 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1929 

